Shila, a prominent Maoist leader who has several cases against her in Lathikata police station was arrested by Odisha police from the gates of Tenughat jail in Jharkhand as soon as she was released on bail on Wednesday. She was initially arrested by the Jharkhand police and was in jail there following an operation.

Rourkela SP Anirudha Singh today told reporters that Shila was a top Maoist leader and has several cases against her name in the Lathikata police station in Sundergarh district adding that police was trying to find out if she had cases against her in other police stations.

Singh said Shila has a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against her name.

Shila is a resident of Birdihi in Jharkhand and is the wife of senior politburo member Kisan Da, said police sources. She was allegedly involved in major Maoist activities in Odisha and was in-charge of the women’s wing of the rebels, the sources added.

It may be recalled that in 2011 Maoists had demanded her release from Jharkhand jail in exchange of the then Malkangiri collector R Vineel Krishna.